


Unwelcoming House Ghost

by dramaticinsanity



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Includes Metahumans, M/M, Mentions of Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-10-17 23:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20629232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dramaticinsanity/pseuds/dramaticinsanity
Summary: Less than friendly future roommate aside, this somehow feels like a breath of fresh air, like he’s going to finally get out of the drab rut that his life is in.





	1. Chapter 1

Cisco is on his way to work, which is Mercury Labs. He doesn’t live far away, so he doesn’t always use his breaches. Sometimes he walks, today he’s on a bike. He’s taking a different route than usual, for the scenic experience. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He closes his fist and prepares for a fight. There doesn’t appear to be anyone around.

He looks to see a house. It seems to loom over him. It has a rustic design, but the paint can’t be more than twenty years old. There’s a sign in the yard. 

**FOR SALE BY OWNER**

**CALL AT YOUR OWN RISK**

A delightful shudder goes through Cisco. He wants to make an inquiry. He sets his bike against the mailbox and adds the number on his phone. He has an inheritance floating in his bank from when his grandmother passed away. It would be nice to get out of his shitty apartment building. It will have to wait until lunch break, or he will be late. He hops on his bike.

Later on his break, he drifts to the cafeteria. He picks a reclusive spot. He can feel Hartley’s eyes on his back. He resists the bait. He ignores Hartley making noises.

“Are the rest of us carrying infectious diseases now?”

Cisco’s hand tightens around his phone. “Plenty of people act like I’m the one with the disease.”

“Yeah, it’s called being self-righteous. Just because you have no one to answer to -”

Cisco stands and marches up to him. Hartley doesn’t back down. His eyes narrow.

“My parents are  _ dead _ after the explosion,” Cisco barks emphatically. “Sure, I’m not terribly aggrieved about it. That doesn’t make me think I’m better than you. My brother hasn’t been the same, and my grandmother had a heart attack when she got that news. I didn’t ask for Mcgee’s pity! Shit happening in your life doesn’t justify you taking it out on me!”

Hartley snarls, “Wells fired me so he could hire you! Then you said no! No! To STAR Labs! The particle accelerator exploded because you -”

Cisco isn’t prone to violence. However, Hartley enjoys stepping on the wrong nerve. “Don’t you  _ fucking dare _ pin that on me. I lost people too. It’s not my fault that rich arrogant bastard refused to take you back.”

Hartley sniffs. He turns on his heel and walks away. Cisco sighs and plops down on his seat. He doesn’t address the blatant stares of the other engineers and scientists. Brie Larvan flies one of her drones into Hartley’s face. He swats at it, stumbles, and he trips over the trash can. Cisco allows a slight smile. Henry Hewitt passes the table. He apologizes for Hartley, as he is head of the department he’s in, and he gives Cisco a small pack of homemade cookies. Cisco takes them with a wordless nod. 

He dials the number and takes a large bite out of his sandwich. There’s a moment of static on the other end.

“What?”

“I’m looking to buy the house. The one on Quick Street, 1026.”

“You don’t want to buy that house. Trust me.”

“But that’s why I’m calling! It said for sa -” The static stops abruptly. Outraged and already on edge, Cisco redials. 

“Listen you bottomless asshat. If you don’t want to sell the house then don’t put a sign,” Cisco gripes. “Give me a good reason, like it’s rat infested or something, and I’ll fuck off.”

There’s a sigh from the other side. “Fine. But when you move in, lock up all sharp objects. Make sure you have a few flashlights. Get salt, lots of salt, and not sea salt or reduced sodium.”

Cisco blinks. “Is it haunted or something? What’s your name anyway? How much is it?”

“You’ve been warned. Leave the envelope with twenty grand in the mailbox labeled payment and you have the place. The key is in the pot of the larger of two dead plants on the porch.”

That sounds so goddamn shady. Cisco loves it. “That’s all it costs?”

The line goes dead again. Cisco redials, but he’s shocked to get a message that the number has been disconnected. That was strange. He also feels excited. Living in an actual haunted house has been his dream - aside from recognition for his skills as an engineer, of course. Among other things. One thing at a time.

Thankfully, there’s no more drama after work. Cisco heads to the nearest coffeeshop, which happens to be Jitters. He takes a long look around. He rarely comes here, as it’s often too crowded. It’s not the best way to diffuse following work.

When Cisco gets to the counter, he orders The Flash. Someone behind him snorts. Without looking Cisco asks, “Not a fan?”

“He creates as many problems as he resolves.”

Cisco isn’t about to argue with a stranger. He doesn’t respond and takes his seat. He hears the anti-flash person order a regular with three sugars. Cisco scrolls social media on his phone and exchanges quick messages with friends. He jumps when someone sits across from him and clears their throat. He’s wearing a nondescript black sweater and cap. His blue eyes though, are on another level. 

“Hello?”

“You’re the one buying 1026 Quick Street?”

“Yea. You’re… not the seller are you?” Somehow, this guy’s voice is even raspier than the one he talked to on the phone.

“No. I’m Harrison.”

“You have a last name?”

Harrison just stares, his expression stony. The waiter comes to give Cisco and Harry their cups. Harry’s large hands swallow his cup where they wrap around it. Cisco’s mouth goes dry. He hopes he’s not about to get bled in an alley.

Cisco continues, “Right. So  _ Harry _ . What do you want from me exactly?”

“I want you to forget you ever saw the house. Don’t pay that idiot.”

“Not happening. Sorry, you’re only making me more intrigued.”

Harry’s eye twitches. “Fine. I’m guessing the  _ seller _ \- who happens to be my brother in law - didn’t tell you about me. I already live in the house.”

“It’s a scam then?”

“Yes.”

“Cool. I’m still moving in. We can be roommates! Housemates? I can help you pay utilities, then we can hang out and play video games.”

Cisco revels in Harry’s  _ what the fuck is wrong with you  _ expression. 

“Did he give you any details about the house?”

“No, he didn’t tell me shit,” Cisco replies. “He was very cryptic.”

Harry says, “Try to sound less like you have a hard on. It was built in the 18th century and restored a few times over the years due to having historical value. You see, in the year -”

“Less history lesson and more practical information, maybe,” Cisco suggests.

“It’s a sort of shared duplex, but it’s like two half-houses were sewn together. There’s one large bedroom we’d have to share,” Harry explains. “Don’t be a snorer.”

“Really can’t control what I do in my sleep, man.”

“If you don’t want me to suffocate you in your sleep you will.”

They stare at each other as Cisco tries to assess whether he’s serious or enjoys sick jokes. Cisco can’t get a clear read on him, even when he allows his vibes to cop a feel.

“You’ll have your own bathroom and walk in closet, and there’s a separate stairway down to a miniature kitchen, another bathroom, and a sitting area. The main stairway leads to a large living room, with a relatively small dining room and kitchen. There’s a study upstairs at the end of the hall. The basement has a workroom, laboratory, and a recreational section with pool and ping pong tables,” Harry informs him at length. 

Cisco’s mouth drops. When he recovers he says, “There’s a lot more inside than the outside would suggest. You could’ve just given me a tour you know.”

Harry doesn’t respond. “There’s a fenced back yard, a dog door, and perches built on the walls for cats, but I don’t want pets around of any kind. They don't. Get along with me.”

“Noted.”

“There’s a balcony but it’s in dangerous disrepair,” Harry adds. “The study is permanently locked. Don’t ask. The greenhouse is through the door left on the study, it’s long abandoned but you’re welcome to make use of it.”

This is a lot to take in. He searches for the most inane and irrelevant question he can dig out of his brain. “So, how many settings does the shower have?”

“Of all the things you could’ve -”

Cisco takes Harry’s struggle as a minor victory.

“This isn’t a resort.” However, Harry goes on to state, “There are seven. If you use number four while masturbating, I don’t need to know.”

If Cisco had been taking a sip of coffee at that very moment, he would’ve sprayed it on Harry. Luck then, as he imagines Harry would not have been pleased with that. As it is, he chokes a little on his own spit. “Uh. Okay.”

As Harry stands to leave all he says is, “I hope you’ll reconsider.”

Cisco notices when he gets up that Harry’s cup looks full. Cisco can’t recall if he even took a sip. He left no money either. Cisco rolls his eyes and pays for both at the counter. Less than friendly future roommate aside, this somehow feels like a breath of fresh air, like he’s going to finally get out of the drab rut that his life is in.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day at the lab, Cisco does his level best to keep anything from getting to him. He’s at the top of the world, and he wants to hold onto that feeling for a little while. Last night, he already packed up his boxes. Iris has a minute of free time, and she kindly offered to drive Cisco over there. Although Cisco can teleport, some of the boxes are heavy. He doesn’t delight in the idea of shoving every single box through a breach.

Plus, chattering to Iris in person about his difficulties at work and his excitement about the new house is cathartic and nice. He can tell she doesn’t get everything he’s saying, but she smiles, nods, and asks the right questions. That’s the reporter in her.

Before he gets out, he hugs her from the backseat. She pats his arm.

“Thanks so much.”

“No problem,” Iris replies. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“Legally I can’t, your dad would shoot me if I was a stranger and showed up to your house.”

Between the two of them, Cisco and Iris lug the worst of the boxes into the house. Together, they toss the rest from the car through a breach. She’s one of the few people who knows he’s a metahuman. Even his other friend, Ray Palmer of Star City, doesn’t know yet. 

Iris peeks inside. “Nice.”

There is a slightly musty smell and all the furniture is covered. Everything not covered is dusty. Which freaks him out, considering that Harry claims he lives here. Does he not use the living room? Cisco attempts to turn on the light, then the lamp in the sitting room. The fridge is dark and no water comes out of the spigot. 

“Someone forgot to pay the bills,” Iris remarks. “Are you sure about this place?”

“Are you kidding? It has its own workshop and a creepy locked room upstairs! It’s a steal.”

“If you say so.”

Cisco expects Harry to swoop in like a bat, but he never makes an appearance while Iris is around. It’s not until he has half the boxes unpacked and is carrying away one of his perma-boxes to locate to a storage area, that Harry materializes.

Harry stops him in his tracks. He indicates the box Cisco is holding, “What is that?”

It’s the one with  ** _VINTAGE COMICS AND OTHER NERD STUFF _ ** wisely written on the side, in case of snoopers. That’s not what is actually in it. Cisco can’t remember the last time he opened this one. It contains some good memories and some bad. Cisco drops it on the coffee table and shrugs.

“Some old shit. The gang and I - some friends - had this thing in high school where we’d investigate these supernatural occurrences. I built gadgets, equipment. There’s also pictures and notes and whatnot in there. One of our classmates, Iris, a blogger, helped us with our website.”

To his surprise, Harry looks interested. Cisco decides to roll with it. He opens another box to dig out a photo album. He presents a picture to Harry and introduces them. 

“The cute one with the swoopy blonde-ish hair is Kara Danvers. The white German Shepherd is her dog, Krypto. The metrosexual jock looking dude in the ascot is Ronnie Raymond. I swear he wasn’t an asshole. Beside him is Caitlin Snow, super smart, her curls aren’t natural - unlike mine.” Cisco gave his hair a proud little flip. “Those two were a thing. The nerd in the Star Wars hat and glasses with huge frames is… me. Was. Me.”

Cisco waves at his eyes. “I wear contacts now. I got tired of losing my glasses at the most inconvenient times.”

“You’re wearing a pink polka dot skirt…”

Cisco holds his breath. He had failed to distract him from that. The room seems to tilt as his heart knocks around in his chest. There’s no telling how someone will react, or if they’ll even understand. It never gets easier, but he’d rather it got out on  _ his _ terms. 

“With  _ that _ orange cardigan? When is this from - the 70s?”

Cisco exhales. “You’re one to talk. Do you wear the same three black jackets, shirts, and jeans? You look like a goth scarecrow.”

“At least it doesn’t clash.”

“Hey, fuck you.”

Harry scans his legs.  _ His _ legs, not the teenager in the picture. Cisco would have to call the FBI in that case. Harry remarks, “The tights were nice. I think you could still pull it off.”

“Perv.” Cisco smirks. “Those in the picture wouldn’t have fit anymore, but I have a few sets. Tights don’t have a gender! In case you were wondering.”

For a heated moment, Cisco thinks Harry might make out with him. He thinks he might let Harry make out with him. Then, Harry wrecks his own hair further by running his fingers through it. He turns away, his focus on the picture.

“So, you stopped doing this investigation crew thing -”

“We called it Team Vibe.” Cisco says, “It was some kind of inside joke I can’t remember now.”

“You stopped after school?”

“No. Five years ago, the particle accelerator explosion changed things.” Cisco is curious about the way Harry flinches. Maybe he lost someone. “Ronnie was interning there. He tried to contain it. He uh, vanished, or he was vaporized. No trace of a body. Caitlin was heartbroken. They just got engaged. She threw herself into college coursework. Kara tried to continue with me, but her dog disappeared. A year later her father died mysteriously.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“It feels like a lifetime ago. That other box is mostly useless, but I couldn’t bear to break down my inventions and sell the pieces.”

He glances at the photo. A vision drops out of thin air and smacks him. He’s standing somewhere in Central City. There’s mild panic. Streaks of lightning zip by him. In the blue haze of a vibe, he can’t move or react. High above him, there’s what appears to be a man hovering. He’s licked by flames and fireballs from his hands singe the street.

When Cisco returns, Harry is an inch from his face. Cisco yelps and trips over a box. 

“Ow.”

“What was that? You spaced. Bad.”

“I… I had a vision.” Cisco rubs his head. 

“You’re a Metahuman,” Harry states.

“Yeah,” Cisco says and waits for the fall out. Harry tilts his head.

“Fascinating. What else can you do?”

“I have this empathy thing where I can sense what people are feeling, vaguely, and I can sometimes affect it. I can shoot blasts from my hands. I can open portals to anywhere, but that’s touchy right now. If I go too far or somewhere I’ve never been it can get ugly. I  _ might _ be able to travel dimensions, if they exist. I have yet to test that theory.”

“Sounds like your control is shaky,” Harry comments.

“Yep. I have goggles and gauntlets to help with control. I can’t wear them all the time, so in instances like these, things just happen.”

“Did you build these channeling devices yourself?”

“Yes!”

Large hands drop on his shoulders. He feels a spike of  _ something _ in his gut. “Um…”

“Show me.”

Cisco gently shifts out of Harry’s grip and searches for the right box. “I hope you know, you’re messing up my unpacking system.”

“Last time I checked, I don’t care.”

“Charming.”

“I know I am, but what are you?”

“Too tired for backward dad jokes. Do you even have kids?” Cisco digs through one box and comes up empty. Where did he put them. Oh, of course. Cisco returns to the  _ nerd stuff _ box on the coffee table. “I’m gonna unload this in the workshop downstairs.”

“Good idea. And yes, I have a daughter.”

Cisco mutters, “Sucks for her.”

“What?”

“Nothing!”

“I would die for her,” Harry grumbles. “She thinks I’m overbearing.”

Cisco’s tongue is made of cotton. He feels guilty for his insinuation. “That’s rough, buddy?”

“She’s adult, with her own life. I - I have to move on, whatever way that I can.”

“Good. That’s… good.”

Cisco could live in the basement. He drops the box on the nearest table and explores. To Harry, he calls, “I was expecting something half-assed. But this lab and the adjoining workshop are state of the art! The rec room isn’t too shabby either. Would be nicer if it wasn’t so dark. Why are none of the utilities working?”

“I was… away. I guess Randolph couldn’t be bothered, and I only had enough money for food.”

“That explains why you left me to foot the bill for your coffee. Had to be at Jitters too, the most expensive one in the whole damn city,” Cisco complains. “Don’t worry, I’ll get the shit turned on.”

He has to forego tinkering and sniffing around the lab to make several calls. Thankfully, he’s able to get water and electricity turned back on before bed. He discovers the bedroom is spacious, and it barely feels like there’s someone else in the room. Sleep takes a while to come, with a lot on his mind.

When he blinks awake it’s still dark. He groans and rolls over. The clock shows him it’s after two in the morning. What woke him? Sometimes his dream vibes of the explosion disturb his sleep, but he doesn’t think he had any tonight. There’s creaking sounds. Cisco freezes, then forces himself to relax. Then the light flickers on. Cisco glares at it. Faulty lamp? He clicks it back off.

A minute later, just as Cisco drifts, light fills his side of the room again. In anger, he shakes it. “Goddamn light, what is your problem?”

There’s more creaking wood noises, right outside of the bedroom. It’s followed by a slight thump and low moan. Cisco opens the drawer and takes out his flashlight and salt. He turns on the flashlight and carries one in each hand. He throws the door open and hides behind it. Nothing happens. There’s another loud creak. He hears a clicking that sounds like a door knob being fiddled. Cisco jumps and gasps at the loud pounding on thick wood. He clings to the flashlight for dear life. Something growls.

Hands shaking, leaps through the doorway and throws the salt in the direction the noise came from. It harmlessly hits the door of the study. He approaches the door. There’s no signs of disturbance. He swings the lights into the greenhouse. Dead plants and empty pots litter the tables. Vines droop from the ceiling. It’s sufficiently ominous. No one is in there.

“Ramon.”

Cisco screams and curls his hand to his chest. “Holy Hannah!” 

He faces his would be attacker. Harry is standing there. His arms are crossed, and he looks unimpressed. There’s a ceramic pot broken in the middle of the hall, and Harry is putting less weight on one foot. Cisco pieces together in his mind what really happened.

“Harry you can’t lurk around like a creeper!”

“It’s my house I can do what I want.”

Cisco challenges, “It’s mine, I bought it from the owner.”

“That’s a technicality,” Harry claims. “I’ve been here longer.”

“You were like, a squatter. The water and electricity weren’t on. You know, I’ll bet your brother-in-law didn’t even know you were here.”

“I won’t stand here and be slandered.”

Cisco firmly suggests, “Then go to bed.”

“I don’t sleep.”

“You’re so dramatic, Harry.”   
  


He flinches when Cisco brushes his fingers along his wrist. It’s the barest touch, yet Harry looks murderous. Cisco sticks his tongue in his cheek.

“Your vibes are going crazy dude.”

“My vibes.”

“Yes. Here. I can help you.” He grins at Harry’s skeptical look. “I call it the Professor X technique.”

Harry is a statue. Cisco reaches up at the slowest pace he can manage and places his fingers on Harry’s temples. His eyelids flutter. He slumps against Cisco with a soft puff of air. Cisco walks him to his bed and helps him wrangle all of his long limbs. 

Impulsively, Cisco kisses him on the forehead. “Goodnight.”

Harry mutters something incoherent in response. Cisco returns to his bed and shuts the light off, fully expecting it to turn on again. It doesn’t. Cisco stares at the lamp. Does Harry have Metahuman abilities, that he’s just not aware of? If Cisco tries to get that out of him, he’ll probably get the cold shoulder. He dozes with images in his head of the two of them forming a new mystery team, except with super powers. 


	3. Chapter 3

Two weeks later and the living situation has been relatively amicable. They bicker at every turn, but they also have stimulating conversations and watch movies together. Cisco finds their connection more enjoyable than sex, though he can admit to himself he’s attracted to Harry on that level as well. He doesn’t want to soil what they’re building with his random bursts of arousal. He keeps that to himself. He definitely makes frequent use of shower setting number four. 

A month later, there’s a chill in the air. Upon arriving home, Harry meets him at the door with his coat on. Harry deadpans, “We’re going out.”

“Why? It’s fine here.”

“I’ve noticed you go to work and come home. That’s it. Aside from stores, coffee shops, and fast food restaurants. Please tell me I’m not the only person you spend time with outside of your job.”

“Okay, stalker. First of all, I go to comic con. Plus, I keep in touch with two old friends, Iris and Ray. We play online games and use discord to voice chat.”

Harry fixes him with an emotionless stare. It’s oddly shark-like. “But you don’t usually see them in person?”

“Well. No. Look, the rest of my old friends basically ditched me, and my life got too complicated to make new friends. Not that I blame them. Life handed them some real bullshit too.”

“What about work? You don’t get along with any bright minds there?” By the strain in his voice, Cisco guesses Harry doesn’t think they’re  _ that _ smart, despite not meeting them.

“There’s… Henry is painfully nice, when he’s not arrogant, but we have nothing in common. Conversations are dull. Brie is way obsessed with bees, and your boy ain’t got time for that. Great for the environment, bad for my heart rate and sleep patterns.”

Harry grimaces. Cisco continues, “Hartley Rathaway has a massive hate boner for me, not the fun kind, and I can’t figure out why. He’s just a dick for no reason. I’d rather  _ eat _ live bees than try to hang out with him. The rest… the rest are shitheads. They’re snotty toward me for one reason or another, so I dislike them on principle.”

“Maybe this Rathaway has a crush on you?”

Cisco scoffs. “I’ve seen how the love/hate thing works, and that ain’t it chief. It’s a science lab, not third grade. Besides, I don’t do guys whose issues run that deep. It’s no secret I’m Bi, so if he’s going to be passive aggressive it’s not my problem.”

“Fair.”

Harry crowds him back out the door. They walk to a restaurant, which is not the kind of place Cisco can afford to pay a visit.

“You’re at least gonna split the bill with me, right?”

“I know people.”

He winks. His form ripples in a cascade of color. Cisco’s lips part as Harry’s visage changes to someone he doesn’t recognize. 

In an excited whisper, Cisco says, “You are a metahuman!”

“Don’t throw me a parade. My powers aren’t very useful. I can only hold this for about two and a half hours. They’re energy related, but I haven’t figured out the full scope.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit. Was that you that flickers the lights?”

“When my emotions are out of control, things tend to get wonky around me. Animals go berserk no matter my emotional state, they can sense something is different,” Harry elaborates. “I can alter aspects of my physical state, but if I stretch it too far… it’s not good.”

“Whoa. That kind of sucks, but it’s also totally cool.”

“Coming from someone who could open a portal to another dimension,” Harry argues.

“Theoretically. It’s just a theory.”

Once inside, Cisco turns his attention to gawking at the restaurant. Harry introduces himself as Randolph Morgan. It’s not long before they’re shown to a table. Morgan must be a  _ somebody. _ A distant memory knocks on the door of his mind.

After they sit down, Cisco asks, “Hold the fuck up. The dude co-running Mercury Labs is your brother-in-law?”

Harry sighs. “That’s correct. He’s a traitor.”

“A trai -”

“Keep your voice down. I’m done with this topic.”

The waiter arrives, but Cisco needs more time to peruse the menu for food after ordering his drink. Harry’s eyes don’t leave him, even when he places his order for a drink and appetizer. The waiter returns with drinks, cinnamon sticks, and a candle which he puts in the middle of the table with a significant glance at Harry.

Cisco stares at the candle. “Harry. Is this a date. Are we going on a date right now?”

Harry ducks behind the menu. Cisco pushes it down and raises his eyebrows.

“Yes. I mean if you want. If you don’t want that we can forget this ever happened. I shouldn’t do this it’s not… wise. But I - you make me feel so -”

“I want it to happen,” Cisco admits in a small voice. He wasn’t sure if the chemistry between them had been mutual. “But if it goes south, like Antarctica south, I get the house.”

“Deal.”

“Now, what’s up with the appetizer? I didn’t know you had a sweet tooth. Then again, you did get three sugars in your coffee -”

Harry’s fingers glide along the back of his hand. “I like sweet things, sometimes. I noticed you had  _ several _ bags of candy while you were unpacking. I got them for you.”

Cisco offers a lop-sided grin. Harry picks up a stick and rests it on his lips. Cisco’s tongue darts out to lap at the crystals. He takes a generous bite. A moment of chewing, and he’s swallowing a moan alongside the treat. He’s not about to get obscene in the midst of a fancy restaurant. 

“This is amazing.”

They finally place their dinner orders. Cisco discovers he can use his vibes to see Harry’s true form, which is a relief. That ends up being fantastic as well. Fanciness aside, this isn’t the kind of restaurant that skimps on plate filling. Both of them pack leftovers. However, Cisco didn’t observe Harry putting anything in his mouth. He placed his fingers on the food and appeared to concentrate for a minute, same with the drink. When Cisco returned from a bathroom break, a perfect half of the food had vanished. There weren’t any crumbs visible. Cisco wants to investigate this strangeness deeper, but it can wait. 

They keep talking and have to be warned the restaurant is soon closing. Cisco is confused as they leave without paying anything. 

“How are we paying for that?” 

“I told them to put it on  _ my  _ \- meaning Randolph’s - card. I had the numbers memorized. Long story. Hopefully, he still uses that card.”

“That’s… gotta break some kind of law.”

“The law is called I don’t give a fuck.”

“Just don’t implicate me as your accomplice,” Cisco warns. “There will be hell to pay if you drag me down with you.”

“If I promise not to drag you anywhere, can I hold your hand?” 

Cisco is caught off guard. Harry’s uncertain and bashful look is adorable. Cisco reaches beside him and twines their fingers. For some reason, it’s like holding a bunch of feathers. The porch light automatically illuminates them. Cisco must be exhausted, because there seems to be a fuchsia tinted glow about Harry. He rubs his eyes. They shuffle inside and fall asleep on the couch watching the latest science fiction film.

Cisco wakes up alone. The creaking of the floorboards above him tells Cisco Harry is already active, doing who-the-fuck-knows upstairs. Cisco gets ready for the day. Later, while he’s in the kitchen, about to make lunch, there’s a noise at the door. Cisco opens it to a woman not much younger than him. She’s on her knees, searching for something. 

“Can I help you?”

She squints at him. She stands and brushes herself off. “Oh. I didn’t realize anyone had moved in. I was looking for the key, I need to get - I’ll just leave.”

“No, it’s fine, come in.” Cisco glances behind him, expecting Harry to raise hell. He has keen hearing. He’s nowhere in sight. He must be busy. 

“I’m Jesse Wells.” They shake hands. “You’re Cisco Ramon, right?”

Cisco is shocked anyone would recognize him straight away. Mercury Labs itself is rather famous, but the bulk of its scientists and engineers rarely get a share of the limelight. He nods, feeling numb. Her name is familiar, her last name in particular. It bugs him like a beetle rattling around in his skull. His chest is tight. It invokes feelings, but no memories come forth to back them up. He puts it aside for now.

Cisco follows her at a distance. There’s still no sign of Harry as they climb the stairs. The greenhouse door is closed for the first time that Cisco has seen. Jesse pulls out a key and unlocks the study. Cisco tiptoes through the doorway and slides against the wall. Harry could burst in and unleash a tirade. This is the  _ forbidden _ room.

It’s not very exciting. There’s no blood stains, dead animals, torn pictures on the walls, or anything of that caliber. Shades are drawn over the windows. The walls appear as thick and dark as the door, a different kind of wood than the rest of the house. Harry mentioned in passing a few weeks in that the study was an addition by the Morgans. It’s so dusty, Cisco has to fight a sneeze. Shelves with bookends are otherwise empty. There’s a desk in the middle of the room, the drawers hanging open and empty. A chair that looks like it has great back support lays on its side in the corner.

On the desk, there is a solitary picture frame and a wrist support for typists. It’s bare of any other personal touches, but there are faded imprints. Jesse’s fingers brush the frame. Cisco should leave, but his curiosity gets the better of him. The frame isn’t empty. There’s a drawing of a woman and a young girl.

In front of the picture there’s a silver star statue-like piece with an inscription in fluid handwriting:  ** _In the vast night sky, you are the only star I see. _ ** A pair of rings on a chain is looped around the points.

“Who is that?”

Jesse slightly jumps and doesn’t look at him. Cisco bites his tongue. “That’s my mother and me. My father drew this for my ninth birthday. She died a few days later.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Jesse wipes her eyes. “It’s fine. It’s just - I took my dad for granted. After the - the city’s  _ incident _ , he changed. I’m hoping this might remind him of who he was.”

“I know we’re practically strangers, but I’ve been told my hugs are the best,” Cisco offers. He didn’t need to ask to which incident she referred. 

Jesse accepts his offer. She takes the photo, along with the star and the rings. Cisco accompanies her to the door. “Come by anytime.”

“Thanks, Mr. Ramon.”

“Ugh, that sounds so pretentious. Please, just call me Cisco.”

She smiles. “See ya, Cisco. Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

He shuts the door with a soft click. He’s on uneven footing. Wells. Wells. Cisco is still certain he’s heard that name. Rathaway. He mentioned it, a while ago, that was his old boss. Cisco switches his laptop on and does a search. He skips the major news sites and opts for the independent news blog run by Iris. At least some people achieve their dreams.

**HARRISON WELLS MISSING AFTER DEADLY EXPLOSION**

**December 15th, 2011**

** _After the unsuccessful launch of the much anticipated S.T.A.R. Labs Particle Accelerator, John Harrison Morgan Wells cannot be found for comment. Sources suggest he went underground to avoid the embarrassment this disaster has brought for the company, still in its infancy. This includes the unleashing of super-powered people recently dubbed ‘metahumans’. His daughter, Jesse Wells, had no information to offer, despite their close relationship. _ **

**TECH BILLIONAIRE PRESUMED DEAD**

**January 2nd, 2011**

** _S.T.A.R. Labs, once destined for great things, is in shambles following the city-wide incident. Most employees have quit, and they have little to no comments on the fate of their boss. No body has been found, nor any clue as to the whereabouts of its CEO, Harrison Wells. He is survived by his nineteen year old daughter Jesse Wells. She currently attends Central City Technical Development College, following in her father’s footsteps. Harrison Wells died a widower, as his wife passed in a car wreck ten years ago. Sources report the two were inseparable, and Mrs. Theresa Morgan Wells had given much life and heart to the company. Wells did not remarry. According to Miss Jesse Wells, her father was dedicated to his work. Any who may have answers pertaining to this tragedy are urged to come forward._ **

“That’s a nice way of saying he was a workaholic,” Cisco comments to himself. 

**HARRISON WELLS RETURNS**

** _The public is baffled. Wells picks up his company, and despite the bare bones staff, it appears to be running smoothly. As explanation, Wells publicly claimed he was recovering from his injuries in a remote location. Jesse Wells had little to comment, except that her father is no longer the man she knew. She said it’s like a completely different person is wearing his face. It was discovered The Flash is operating out of S.T.A.R. labs, but Wells refused to comment on the matter._ **

On the last article, Cisco focuses on a photo of a man in a wheelchair, outside of Star Labs. Cisco should’ve known that handsome face, charismatic smirk, and blue eyes anywhere. Wells has been to Mercury Labs numerous times, and though they’ve never had a full fledged conversation, Wells attempted to recruit him through the grapevine.

  
If he took off the glasses and didn’t comb his hair, he’d bear an uncanny resemblance to -  _ wait just a damn minute. _


	4. Chapter 4

“What are you looking at, Ramon?”

Cisco flies out of his chair at the familiar rasp next to his ear. For a second his molecules vibrate so harshly, he thinks he might have phased out of existence. He turns and just stares for a moment. Harry swipes at his own cheek.

“Something on my face?”

“You need a bell,” Cisco remarks. He pokes Harry’s chest. Harry glares at his finger, then removes his hand from its position.

“Tell it to me straight - are you real?”

Harry darts forward and nips his earlobe. Cisco shudders and groans. “Is that real enough for you?”

Cisco shoves him away and crosses his arms. “Dude. Boundaries.”

“You like it,” Harry purrs. Cisco crushes his libido under his mental heel. This is serious. He has to stay on the necessary path.

“So not the point. W-what the hell are you? Are you a ghost?” He scoots aside and waves at the screen. “They thought were dead. Then this dead ringer shows up. Look at it. That’s you, in the picture, except it’s not.”

Cisco catches a glint of teeth. Harry is smiling - actually  _ smiling _ \- at his bewilderment. “Don’t be preposterous. I’m a projection of consciousness with dynamic mass.”

“Because that’s so much better. So you’re a projection of that  _ thing _ in the photograph?”

Harry chews his lip. “It’s clear you don’t think that I am. I’m not. But my body is still alive, I can feel it.”

“Why not return?”

“Star Labs is across town. I can’t leave the general area, roughly a fifteen block radius of the house or -” He pauses.

Cisco pushes, “Or what, Harry? Tell me.”

“I destabilize. I start to enter the… the spirit world. Afterlife. Maybe it’s Hell. Limbo. Whatever you want to call it. Point is, there’s dead people. Very sad, very angry dead people.”

“Weird.” Cisco licks his lips. He tries to ignore the way Harry’s eyes flicker on his mouth. “I’m guessing Jesse doesn’t know?”

“I let her see me once. She froze, said ‘this can’t be real’ and started to cry. I didn’t make that mistake again.”

“What’s up with the doppelganger running Star Labs?”

“I have no idea.”

“Helpful.” Cisco gets on his keyboard and types. He explores the company’s website. There’s a tour tomorrow. Luckily, there’s one spot left. He snags it.

“Tell me you’re not going into that death trap alone.”

Cisco glares. “I can handle myself.”   
  


“We don’t have any idea what you’ll be walking into, what you’re going up against. There should be recon. Maybe I should -”

“You set your astral foot in there, and they will lock you up.”

“I can pass through walls - except for certain types of wood, as well as iron -”

“If you’re a Metahuman, the countermeasures of their pipeline thingy could possibly contain you. Are you willing to take the chance?”

Harry sighs. “No. If you recall, I’m not certain whether I can go that far anyway. Be careful, Cisco. If you don’t come back in one piece, I’ll kill you.”

“Great. Nice sentiment asshole. I can look forward to your attempts to stab or strangle my ghost in astral limbo if I blow it.”

“Just… I’d miss you. Jackwagon.”

Cisco pats his shoulder. Touching him is so bizarre, and Cisco realizes now that it isn’t because - or  _ only _ because - of his exceptionally intense crush. Harry’s gaze doesn’t leave him as he opens a breach to a discreet place near Star Labs.

The tour is actually kind of interesting. The place is half dead, and it’s almost eerie, the emptiness of such a gigantic building. The other people on the tour whisper amongst themselves, excluding him. He assumes most of them are reporters in disguise. Cisco often corrects the guide on something and rambles on in science. Halfway through, Wells appears and takes an interest in him. 

Immediately through the vibrations of the universe, Cisco knows. This isn’t the original Wells, merely some kind of masquerade. His disconcertingly jovial tone, social skills, and measured eye contact would have been enough. He’s almost nothing like Harry. There are a few glimpses of similarities, but it’s no wonder that Jesse quickly caught on.

Fake Wells separates him from the others at the end of the tour and herds him to the office. Cisco’s stomach is in knots. He would never admit it to Harry, but he’s starting to regret coming alone or not preparing a secondary plan. He has no clue who this man is or what he wants. Harry was right. They should’ve gotten intel first.

Fake Wells slides a paper across the desk to stop under Cisco’s nose. Cisco can tell at a glance it's the Labs' mission statement, research summaries, and list of benefits. He got one like it prior to the explosion, presumably from the real Wells, from Harry.

“You are uniquely brilliant. Any chance I could tempt you away from Mercury?”

“Possibly. If you were the real Harrison Wells.” Cisco doesn’t give him time to process the statement. He thrusts out his arm and shoots a vibe blast. The chair glides into the wall with a thump. Fake Wells blurs and his visage fades to a slightly less captivating blonde man. His equally blue eyes are calculating and cold.

In the blink of an eye, the man pins Cisco to the wall. “You caught me. I’m Eobard Thawne, but you won’t live long enough to tell the tale. It’s too bad. I liked you.”

“You’re a speedster? Like the Flash.”

“I’m better than the Flash,” Thawne snarls, “I’m the reverse.”

“You run backwards? That seems a bit counterproductive.”

Thawne squeezes, and Cisco coughs as his lungs burn. “Shut up and die.”

His other hand starts to vibrate and dive toward Cisco’s chest. Cisco closes his eyes and pictures Harry. He wheezes, “Sorry, I had to try something.”

Thawne snaps, “What do you mean?”

“Wasn’t talking to you,” Cisco chokes out.

Suddenly, there’s a blinding shaft of light hitting his eyelids. They both collapse. Cisco scrambles away. Thawne tries to grasp his ankle. He’s surrounded by gray figures that grab and tear at him. Cisco breaches to the desk. He finds a panic button and slaps it. The gray toned people continue to mob Thawne.

The ghouls chant together, “You killed us. Murderer. You will suffer.”

Thawne screams. It’s abruptly cut off. Cisco can’t see what’s happened to him. The crowd dissipates. Thawne remains on the ground, curled into a ball. He’s breathing. One figure opens her hand and windows begin to pop up on the computer. 

In a shaky voice, she says, “Evidence.”

A video starts to play. Cisco watches with morbid fascination. Thawne is confessing to the murder of someone named Nora Allen.

Cisco asks, “Are you Nora?”

The gray woman nods. One by one, the figures fade in a flash of light. Police file in with guns raised. Thawne whimpers. They stare at him. 

Before they turn on him, Cisco rushes to explain, “That’s Eobard Thawne, he’s a Metahuman who was pretending to be Harrison Wells. Everything you need is on the computer.”

They gather the laptop and Thawne. Cisco watches them, silent and frozen.

The last one says, “Come to the station to give a statement when you’re ready. Ask for Joe West.”

Once the room is empty, Harry steps through the wall. Cisco has another set of heart palpitations. He throws a stress ball from the desk at him. It bounces off his chest even though he could probably let it pass. In the next breath, he collapses into Harry’s arms. Tears stream down his cheeks.

“He was gonna kill me, Harry.”

“I know.”

“How are you here?”

“Turns out I can travel by the limbo realm and not die.”

“You’re an idiot.”

Harry’s fingers stroke his cheek, his hair, then his neck. Cisco cups his cheeks and kisses him. It’s like kissing a breeze given form, but in that moment, he doesn’t care. 

“If anyone asks -”

“You’re the one who saved  _ my _ sorry ass, by risking possible death and popping in with a ghost army to rescue your distressed boyfriend?”

“Exactly. Asshole.”

Harry nuzzles his cheek. Cisco kisses his jawline and strokes his cheek in return. Harry leans into him like a touch starved cat. Which, Cisco supposes he is, except he’s not a literal feline.

“If it makes you feel any better, you can top when we have sex.”

Cisco mouths,  _ ‘When’.  _

Harry raises a knowing eyebrow. Cisco giggles into his collarbone.

“Is it that obvious how much I’ve been wanting to jump your bones?”

“Not as obvious as you might think.”

“Okay,” Cisco says, tone dripping with sarcasm. God, Cisco thinks he could fall in love with this man. Perhaps he already has, but now is not the time to analyze his feelings.

“We should find my body and wake me, then we can properly make out,” Harry murmurs.

“Right. Yeah.”

Cisco lays his palm on Harry’s shoulder and reaches for the vibes. Once he has the location, they hop through his breach. The room looks like a creepy ass hospital parody. Cisco is still on an adrenaline high, breathing heavy. He tugs off his goggles and paws at his chest. 

“Should not have worn my binder for this mission.”

“So take it off, dumbass.”

Cisco darts behind a curtain and does that. Right in front of Harry’s comatose body. He swallows a scream. It’s not like it’s a dead body. He needs to stop being so jumpy. It gives Harry too much fodder with which to tease him.

“Found you,” he gasps. It’s a relief when his lungs are able to fully expand.

“We’re still in the labs,” Harry observes. “Likely otherwise abandoned.”

Harry sets something down on the table and leans over his motionless body. Cisco eyes the walkie talkies. Somehow, he missed that Harry had anything on him.

“Did you steal those?”

“I prefer the term borrowing.”

“I’d prefer if a ghost would not get me in trouble with the cops.”

In a lecturing tone, Harry responds, “Not a ghost. We’ve been over this.”

“Anyway. Why does your body not look like it’s halfway to being a corpse?”

“Seems my activities as a projection affect my physical form. I continued my workout routine. I can eat and drink, by absorbing the energy through my hands. There’s no outward indication of this. And yes, I can taste. Somewhat.”

As Harry figures out how to revive himself, Cisco examines the other two occupants. The first is an older man. After a moment of considering him from different angles, Cisco recognizes him as - “Martin stein, renowned physicist and former professor at the college.”

Harry hums. 

The next bed has Cisco doubling over. “Holy fuck, it’s Ronnie.”

Harry comes to stand beside him. His clothes have changed, though they’re still all black. Cisco glances to see the bed empty. He was expecting a bit more pizazz. Cisco shrugs.

He says, “That was easy.”

Harry takes the glasses from the jacket pocket and flicks them open. Cisco shouldn’t find the way he slides them onto his face so damn  _ sexy _ .

Harry takes a closer look at his body’s former neighbors. He informs Cisco, “Medically induced coma. They appear to be unstable on a molecular level.”

Cisco notices there’s some kind of nuclear fusion technology on Ronnie’s chest. Cisco jerks when one of the talkies announces, “Thawne has escaped en route. Highly dangerous Metahuman speedster, code yellow. All units send backup.”

Harry grips the talkie, his face reddening with fury. With stunning clarity that almost knocks him down, Cisco knows what to do. “Stand back. Way back.”

He sends vibe waves into the bodies. With them, a message. He’s never done it before, but he tries to pass on vibes of Thawne and the flaming man (men?). Stein and Ronnie sit up with gasps. They look at Cisco. They look at each other with solemn expressions. Cisco runs to join Harry. Ronnie offers his hand, which Stein takes. In a whirlwind, they fuse and bust through the ceiling. 

“Let’s go,” Cisco and Harry simultaneously shout. 

Harry grabs a comically jumbo sized gun from the wall. Cisco throws out a breach, and they jump through. The pair make a pit stop at Cisco’s house. He didn’t bring his Vibe equipment, in case he was searched. He joins Harry on the porch, slipping on his goggles and gauntlets.

Harry leans in and pecks his cheek.

Cisco murmurs, “You missed.”

Cisco kisses Harry on the lips, slow and soft. His bottom lip catches on Harry’s upper lip. He lightly nips Harry’s lip. Harry rubs the tip of his nose on Cisco’s nose. They stand astonished in each other’s arms until Cisco shivers. The wind has picked up. He steals Harry’s jacket, but Harry doesn’t protest.

“Might need help. First official superhero mission time.”

Harry inquires, “There’s been unofficial missions?”

Cisco doesn’t answer as he makes another breach. They land near the park. 

The Flash is there, staring at the sky and gaping. The flaming man - no, the  _ Firestorm _ \- takes a sharp dive. He blasts fire at a blur of lightning. Flash dashes forward, and the speedsters collide. 

“Wicked awesome,” Cisco whispers to Harry.

“Don’t get killed,” Harry demands. “I… care about you, more than I have about anyone aside from my daughter in a long time. I don’t want to lose you.”

Cisco swallows against the emotional thickness in his throat. Harry’s eyes are shiny too. “Back at ya. No promises, though.”

Cisco grips him by his bird nest hair, and kisses him again, hard. He hears someone cheer for them nearby. He slips in a bit of tongue before they leap into battle. He almost runs into Hartley, who is sporting glowing gloves. His eyes bug out.

“Cisco? That you?!”

Cisco puts his hand on his hips. “I know not this Cisco you speak of. I am Vibe!”

Hartley snorts. “You’re not going to fool anyone for a second.”

Harry snickers behind him. Cisco smacks him on the shoulder. He raises his palm, and Hartley gives him a high five. Harry lifts his pulse gun. The three of them charge in.

Reverse Flash is not there to play games. However, between five of them and the last minute of a distraction in the form of Detective West forming a blockade of police equipped with dampeners, they catch Thawne for real this time.

Cisco hangs back as West explains what really happened to Nora Allen - referring to her as Flash’s mother. That would make him Barry Allen, a lifelong friend of Iris West. It doesn’t surprise Cisco that her father is in on the secret identity. He wonders if Iris knows. He imagines telling a clueless Iris that he’s uncovered the man behind the mask. She’ll pedal him for an interview.

Barry proclaims, “I knew it! I knew my father didn’t do it and there was…  _ something else _ there, that night.” 

West shakes his head in sympathy. “There was something fishy about Star Labs, my gut told me. Ever since Wells supposedly came back.”

“So how did you figure it out?”

“I didn’t.” West waves Cisco over. He takes comfort in Harry walking behind him, hand on his lower back.

Cisco gives a tiny wave.

“Cisco Ramon. Nice to officially meet you uh -” He jokes, “Can I call you Barry, or is it Mr. The Flash?”

“How do you -”

“Because he’s not an idiot,” Harry chimes in. “I’m the real Harrison Wells, and that pretender Thawne can suck my dick.”

Barry turns red and chokes, while West tries poorly to hide his amusement. Cisco directs a pout at Harry. Any sucking of any parts is his privilege. 

“Figuratively speaking,” Harry adds. “Also, if there’s anything I can do to help… Tell Cisco. I’m not a people person.”

Cisco laughs. Hopefully, they can at least appreciate Harry’s honesty. The crime fighters appear unfazed. 

West interjects, “Ramon here is the one who… busted Thawne. We’re still not clear how, but you know how it is with gift horses.”

“It’s a long story,” Cisco says to Barry. “Short version, I love mysteries like a dog with a bone. Maybe I can regale you over coffee sometime?”

“That would be great,” Barry agrees.

“Platonic coffee,” Harry mumbles. Cisco reaches down and squeezes his hand. 

As the dust settles, West gives them a ride to the station. Cisco gives his statement, with Harry hovering somewhere like a protective shadow. Cisco accompanies Harry while he uses a station phone to call his daughter and detail the situation before it gets to some news outlet. Trailed by the former comatose prisoners, they go home and order pizza. 

Further into the night, with Stein bumping around in the study, Ronnie and Hartley asleep on the couch, and Harry’s arm around his shoulders, Cisco makes a call. 

A light voice answers, “Hello?”

“Hey, Cait. Long time. It’s Cisco. What do you say to getting the band back together, with a few new additions.”

“You’d better have a good explanation, calling me for this at one in the morning.”

“Ronnie is alive.” Cisco gives his address.

Caitlin says, “I swear to God if this is a prank.”

Then, she hangs up. Twenty minutes later, there’s a knock at the door. Cisco peeks through the window to see that she kept the old van. He grins. 


End file.
